The present invention is directed toward an apparatus for filling a plurality of containers with particulate or granular material and, more particularly, to such an apparatus which includes a hopper with a tapered front wall, a plurality of discharge nozzle assemblies, and a transport assembly adapted to move each of the containers into proper position directly beneath a corresponding one the discharge nozzle assemblies.
There are many known devices for filling containers with particulate or granular material. Such devices typically include a hopper into which the material is poured. The material exits the hopper from one or more discharge nozzle assemblies which extend downwardly from the bottom of the hopper. The hoppers associated with these devices often have a circular cross-section. While such a hopper configuration is satisfactory for discharging material when there is only one discharge nozzle, it does not promote the uniform withdrawal of material when there are a plurality of discharge nozzle assemblies associated therewith.
The discharge nozzle assemblies of the filling devices of the type described above often cannot operate properly if material from the hopper is not properly delivered to the nozzle assembly. Even further, such filling devices do not include means for properly transporting each of the containers directly underneath a corresponding one of the discharge nozzle assemblies.